John was interested in collecting things, from stamps to movies and all things in-between. His knowledge of the English language made those who knew him groan, for he always had puns to inflict on those he was talking too. But in the same breath as a pun, there was always random knowledge to brighten your day.
When asked what he did, especially as a Major in the US Air Force, he explained that he was a civil engineer. At one point he was in charge of base disaster preparedness. This lead to the nickname of "Major Disaster".
He is survived by his wife, two daughters, 4 grandchildren, and his dog.